Offensive Player of the Week: Buffalo RB Anthone TaylorBuffalo junior running back Anthone Taylor (Huber Heights, Ohio) rushed for a career-best 237 yards and added two touchdowns in a 41-21 win over UMass last Friday. Taylor carried 36 times (6.6 avg.) and it was his third 200-yard game of the season – the most ever by a Buffalo player in a single season. The junior running back also had three receptions for 31 yards. Taylor scored Buffalo's final two touchdowns to seal the victory. He had a three-yard run late in the third quarter and a career-long 76-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter. His 237 yards was the fourth-best single-game total in school history.

Defensive Player of the Week: Miami DB Quinten RollinsMiami senior defensive back Quinten Rollins (Wilmington, Ohio) had six tackles and two interceptions in a 24-21 loss vs. Ohio last Tuesday night. His first interception was returned 27 yards for his first career touchdown and his second pick saved a touchdown in the second half. Rollins finished the year with seven interceptions to lead the MAC.

Special Teams Player of the Week: Bowling Green KR Clint StephensBowling Green freshman kickoff returner Clint Stephens (West Palm Beach, Fla.) returned six kickoffs for 162 yards in a 41-24 loss to Ball State last Friday, including a 96-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in the first quarter. The 96-yard kickoff return marked the longest kickoff return in school history, and the first for a touchdown by a Falcon this season.

WEST DIVISION

Offensive Player of the Week: Ball State RB Jahwan Edwards Ball State senior running back Jahwan Edwards (Matthews, N.C.) rushed for a season high 165 yards and two touchdowns in his final career game to help Ball State to a 41-24 victory at Bowling Green. It marked Edwards' sixth 100-yard game this season and the 18th of his career. Edwards finished his career fifth in MAC history in rushing yards (4,558) and rushing touchdowns (51) and sixth in league history in rushing attempts (884), while finishing his career as Ball State's all-time leader in all those categories.

Defensive Player of the Week: Northern Illinois DB Dechane Durante Northern Illinois senior safety Dechane Durante (Charlotte, N.C.) collected eight tackles, one interception and one recovered fumble as the Huskies clinched the West Division with a 31-21 win at Western Michigan last Friday. Durante played a role in two of the Huskies six turnovers as the Huskie defense shut out the powerful Western Michigan offense in the second half and limited the Broncos to two touchdowns on the day and just 21 points, 13 points below their season average. Durante recovered a Western Michigan fumble on the one-yard line in the second quarter as the Broncos tried to go in for a score that would have given them a 26-7 lead. Then, he made his second interception of the season late in the fourth quarter to allow the Huskies to run out the clock, returning the pickoff seven yards. Western Michigan gained just 91 yards after halftime.

Special Teams Player of the Week: Toledo PR Corey Jones Toledo sophomore punt returner Corey Jones (Pittsburgh, Pa.) returned a punt 50 yards in a 52-16 win at Eastern Michigan last Friday. The 50-yard punt return down to the Eastern Michigan eight yard line by Jones was a career-long and set up a Toledo touchdown scoring drive.

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Publisher﻿

Mike Smith saw his first MAC footb﻿a﻿ll action as a nine-year-old while hanging onto the flagpole of a nearby baseball stadium. The view got better after he discovered he could get in free at halftime. Decades later, he can usually be found either on press row or along the sidelines.Mike has won awards for both his stories and pictures during his time in journalism. Combining his own skills with those of other writers and photographers, along with conference and school resources, he constantly works to provide an enjoyable MAC product.

ATTENTION WRITERS!MAC Reporter Online is seeking contributors for coverage at a number of Mid-American Conference schools.Several “levels” of participation are available for writers or photographers. For further information, contact Mike at: mro24mike@gmail.com.